Merganser

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Goosander \Goos"an`der\, n. [OE. gossander, a tautological word
     formed fr. goose + gander. Cf. {Merganser}.] (Zool.)
     A species of merganser ({M. merganser}) of Northern Europe
     and America; -- called also {merganser}, {dundiver},
     {sawbill}, {sawneb}, {shelduck}, and {sheldrake}. See
     {Merganser}.


     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Merganser \Mer*gan"ser\, n. [Sp. merg['a]nsar, fr. mergo a diver
     (L. mergus, fr. mergere to dip, dive) + ['a]nsar goose, L.
     anser.] (Zool.)
     Any bird of the genus {Mergus} ({Merganser}), and allied
     genera of the subfamily Merginae. They are allied to the
     ducks, but have a sharply serrated bill, eat fish, and dive
     for food. Also called {fish duck}.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     Note: The red-breasted merganser ({Merganser serrator})
           inhabits both hemispheres. It is called also {sawbill},
           {harle}, and {sheldrake}. The American merganser
           ({Merganser Americanus}.) and the hooded merganser
           ({Lophodytes cucullatus}) are well-known species.
  
     {White merganser}, the smew or white nun.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  merganser
       n : large crested fish-eating diving duck having a slender
           hooked bill with serrated edges [syn: {fish duck}, {sawbill},
            {sheldrake}]